Poll: GOP primary bleeds Romney

By Alexander Burns

02/23/12 08:16 AM EST

The folks at Purple Strategies have a poll out this morning that tests the mood of the electorate in a dozen general-election swing states, and validates concerns among Republicans that the drawn-out primary campaign is seriously compromising Mitt Romney's candidacy:

A majority (53%) of Purple state voters believe that the campaign is weakening the eventual nominee, while just 21% believe that the campaign is strengthening the nominee. Republicans are also concerned about the impact that the campaign is having on their candidates, with 44% believing that the campaign is weakening the eventual nominee (32% strengthening).

The campaign’s impact on Mitt Romney’s personal popularity has been palpable: today, just 27% have a favorable view of him, while 57% have an unfavorable view. In the ?rst PurplePoll in September of last year, 32% had a favorable view (39% unfavorable). In other words, over the course of the campaign, Romney’s favorables in Purple states have declined by 5 points, while his unfavorables have increased by 18 points – a net decline of 23 points.

There have been moments in the campaign when it looked like Romney's clashes with conservative challengers might actually bolster his candidacy; when he took on Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry, Republicans looked at it as a sign that Romney was growing as a candidate, getting stronger and more confident. Poll results like this make it hard to see the primary fight as anything but a threat to Romney's prospects in the general election. A 30-point net negative favorability rating is just ugly.

Still, the poll shows there are few reasons for President Obama to rest easy, with voters still gloomy on the economy and the state of the nation, if a bit less gloomy than they were a few months ago:

Today, 32% believe the country is moving in the right direction, with a strong majority (60%) feeling the country is on the wrong track. This includes 64% of independent voters, and strong majorities across our four Purple state regions.

Voters are more evenly divided when evaluating the direction of the economy, with 36% saying that it is getting better and 37% saying it is getting worse (26% “staying the same”). While the economy is showing signs of improvement, this divided result shows that voters are not yet sold on recovery.

No matter the direction of the economy, voters believe that it belongs to President Obama. Overall, 56% of voters say that he is responsible for its current direction, compared to 31% who believe that Republicans in Congress are responsible.